I have been out a few times using SB, had plenty of hook ups and caught 7 to 8 on SB. But two times I have had two nice size hooked up but they got off. Wondering if I am doing something wrong. On MH rod with 50lb braid. Curious if drag has anything to do with it, what should it be set on? Any tips appreciated. Thanks

When a fish bites I mentally slow down and start reeling into the fish. Then I reel until I feel the pressure start. Sometimes the rod even begins to bend at the tip. As the pressure begins, then I start sweeping the rod back or what some calls “leaning into them.”

 

This drastically improved my hook up ratio on spinner baits, swim jigs, etc...

 Eight out of ten is not a bad ratio. Can't catch em all. They come un buttoned on everybody, even the pros. I throw a lot of different brand spinnerbaits and one has a superior hook up ratio, in my opinion. That is the strikeback by megastrike. It's like the fish double hook themselves, he needs to add a bluegill color and I wouldn't have to buy the other brands. 

Sometimes you lose a fish or two. I don't use braid. 12-15# copoly or fluoro and put a trailer hook on it. I don't use ant trailer bait either.

You sure they didnt hit the blades?

Sometimes you think you didnt get a hookup its cause they hit the blade

I use braid and never had problems with hookups.

..and yea 8 out of 10 I wouldnt complain about

I am sure I had them hooked. I think maybe I need to get better with using SB.

Aint setting hook hard enough

When are you losing them?  I've lost some big fish that I had buttoned up well when they jumped.  I realized that when they jumped, I was taking some pressure off, and they were getting off.  Now when they jump, I make sure I put more tension on the fish.  

Check the barb on your spinner bait , I have lost a few big gals due to them bending the barb down sometimes you can bend them back other times its time to order a few more . Also are you using a trailer , or strait hook ?  I rarely do not use a trailer hook unless its heavy cover . 

You aren't doing bad but there are some things I've found that make spinnerbait fishing a little better. First deal is 50lb braid with a MH rod, I hope that is a moderate action rod and if it is a fast then you will eventually have problems. The one big problem, even with the drag set, is going to be getting hit right at the boat with very little line out, I've had it happen to me and watched 3 others I fish with go through the same problem, broken rod tips. Now, we were fishing smallmouth but if you get hit and the boat the no stretch line with a stout rod is a disaster. The hardest thing to control is hooks, I make my own and it is a reason I do make them, I have used a bunch of hooks and right now the best are the VMC ,and Mustad round bend hooks. I have used Gamakatsu and the Owner spinnerbait hook and what I noticed is the Gammy and Owner both have a tendency to tear open big holes if you hook them in the membrane are near the corner of the mouth and it happen a lot just because of how they hit the bait. The reason they are super sharp is they have cutting points, the Mustad has what they call and ultra point and VMC has the cone cut, these are penetrating hooks with sharp points while the Owner and Gammy have a sharp barb so when the fish shakes its head the hook point acts like a saw. I spent 2 years using the same spinnerbait type made with each style hook and kept a log book and you can easily see hook up ratios from all 4 hook brands used. Now, there are other reasons you lose fish and I know this which is why I did it over a long time but it is hard to control buying them but most companies use the Ultra point Mustad for their baits. I think you do well and if 50lb braid is what you want then that is it, for me, well I now only use braid for frogging and extremely heavy cover flippin', I learned from experience that I like a fast action rod for spinnerbaits and with that I need a shock absorber so I use 12# to 16# copolymer depending on the cover and my hook up ratio is pretty high but you will never get them all, sometimes they just shake the hook and there isn't much you can do.

leverage spinner bait and 17 - 20# sufix tritanium - the leverage was/is the best at keeping fish on that I've used.

Sharpen your hooks.  They get dull from hitting rocks, stumps, catching fish, etc.

Hooks like spinner bait hooks can enlarge the hole in the fish's jaw, if the line isn't kept tight the fish can get unbuttoned.

I don´t remember loosing a fish on a spinnerbait, have you checked the hook sharpness ?.

Thanks for all the tips. On the ones I did catch the hook was dug in pretty good, so not sure if sharpness of hook an issue but didn't check either. What are you using to sharpen them?

Thanks for all the tips. On they one I did catch the hook was dug in pretty good, so not sure if sharpness of hook an issue but didn't check either. What are you using to sharpen them?

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/hook-sharpen.html